Industrial strategy on climate change to be discussed

GLOBAL: The 17th conference of the parties (COP17) to the UN framework convention on climate change will be held in Durban, South Africa, from November 28 to December 9, 2011. The international trade union movement led by ITUC will urge the governments to agree on a legally-binding climate regime and a concrete climate finance scheme, including provisions for a Just Transition.

To support ITUC’s contribution, ICEM, IMF and ITGLWF will hold a joint event, "Cutting Emissions – Transforming Jobs" on November 30 at 14.30-16.00 in the COP17 World of Work Pavilion, at the Civil Society Space – University of KwaZulu, Howard College Campus, King George Av., Berea, Durban.

The event will promote a common industrial workers’ position to ensure the "greening" of existing jobs, the creation of new, sustainable jobs, and a Just Transition, with concrete policies for green technology innovation and a sustainability fund securing the future for both today’s and tomorrow’s workers.

The discussions will focus on:

• Post Kyoto framework: Could a second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol be a solution to avoid a gap in emission reduction commitments and to re-build the legally-binding framework covering all countries in the future negotiation process?
• Building a Foundation-Climate Finance: How should the funding be designed/realized to achieve sustainable jobs and a Just Transition? What are the components of a strong financing scheme e.g.  mandatory contributions from governments, the Financial Transaction Tax (FTT), levy on maritime transportation & aviation, or?
• Just Transition: What kinds of programme are needed for industrial workers who are most dramatically affected by the climate change issues? How can both today’s and tomorrow’s workers benefit from the transformation to a sustainable economy? What support will be needed?  
• Developing Industrial Strategy: Industrial strategies which aim towards sustainable production, the transformation and enhancement of existing jobs, and the creation of new, greener jobs are needed at local, national, regional and international levels. How could developed and developing countries be engaged to harmonize/develop respective industrial policies. 
• Union’s role for the future: How should unions get involved to transform industry and create new, greener jobs be designed and implemented with the full participation?

For more information on the ICEM, IMF and ITGLWF event, contact Brian Kohler, ICEM Health, Safety and Sustainability officer ([email protected]) or Kan Matsuzaki, IMF Director of Shipbuilding-shipbreaking, Non-Manual Workers and climate change ([email protected]).
 
See also ITUC’s contribution to COP17 at http://www.ituc-csi.org/IMG/pdf/ituc_durbancontribution.pdf.

More information on COP17 WoW will be posted at
ITUC: http://www.ituc-csi.org/climate-change-and-green-economy.html.